User:ArsenalFan700/2017-18 I-League

The 2017–18 I-League is the 11th season of the I-League, one of the top Indian professional football leagues, since its establishment in 2007. The season started on 25 November 2017 and is scheduled to finish 7 March 2018.

This season saw three new teams enter the I-League. NEROCA entered the league after earning promotion from the I-League 2nd Division, Gokulam Kerala entered the league via direct-entry, while Indian Arrows, a development side operated by the All India Football Federation, returned to the league after previous playing in it from 2010 to 2013. Bengaluru, meanwhile, dropped out of the league after earning an expansion spot in the Indian Super League while DSK Shivajians dropped out for financial reasons.

Aizawl are the defending champions from the 2016–17 season.

Teams
Ten teams will compete in the league – seven teams from the previous season, one team promoted from the I-League 2nd Division and two teams given direct-entry into the league. Two teams dropped out of the league while one was relegated.

On 22 May 2017, NEROCA earned their promotion to the I-League after defeating Lonestar Kashmir. This is the first time NEROCA will play in the top-flight of Indian football and the first time a club from the state of Manipur would play in the I-League. On 20 September 2017, it was announced by the All India Football Federation that Gokulam Kerala would earn direct-entry into the I-League. Gokulam Kerala became the first club from the state of Kerala to participate in the I-League since 2012 when Viva Kerala were relegated. Finally, in November 2017, the AIFF announced the return of the Indian Arrows, a developmental side ran by the federation which will consist of players from the India under-17 side which competed in the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup and select under-19 players. The Indian Arrows previously competed in the I-League between 2010 and 2013.

On 22 April 2017, it was confirmed that Mumbai would be relegated from the I-League after Churchill Brothers defeated Chennai City 6–1. Bengaluru, the two time winners of the I-League within the last three seasons, were announced as a new expansion side in the Indian Super League on 12 June 2017. Finally, on 30 August 2017, it was announced that DSK Shivajians would be dropping out of the I-League for financial reasons. This will make this the first season that the I-League will not have a team from the state of Maharashtra.

Stadiums and locations

 * ''Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.

Foreign players
On 2 August 2017, it was announced by the All India Football Federation that the number of foreigners for each I-League club would go up to six, with two of the six having to be born in Asia or registered with the AFC.